MESA, Arizona – Two Mesa Community College students, Valerie Le Grande and Andrew Sypher, are among 20 students nationwide named to the 2015 All-USA Community College Academic Team by the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.
The honor, which comes with a $5,000 scholarship, recognizes high-achieving, two-year college students who demonstrate academic excellence and intellectual rigor combined with leadership and service that extends their education beyond the classroom to benefit society.
The competition is administered by PTK in cooperation with the American Association of Community Colleges and is sponsored by Follett Higher Education Group. A panel of judges selected this year’s team from more than 1,500 students nominated by 800 community colleges.
Andrew Sypher, 24, graduates from MCC in May and plans to transfer to Arizona State University’s political science program. While at MCC, Sypher was the PTK Omicron Beta Chapter’s operations officer, the Latter-Day Saint Student Association chapter president and participated in MCC’s student government.
In addition to the All-USA award, he is an All-Arizona First Academic Team member, a Democracy Commitment Conference presenter and received the Chancellor’s Civic Leadership Medallion with Distinction and the Summit Student Leadership Award.
Sypher’s career goal is to be a foreign diplomat with a career in civil service. He said he feels grateful for the award and it inspires him to give back to others.
“When I look back at all who helped me, I know that it would have been impossible to accomplish this without them,” Sypher said. “The award is a testimony of how, when a community gathers around someone who has potential, they can become the person they always wanted to be but never thought possible.”
Le Grande, 34, the student graduation speaker at MCC’s commencement services in May, is an honors student with a dual major in social work and communications. In addition to the All-USA award, she is an All-Arizona First Academic Team member, a New Century scholar and a Guistwhite scholar.
A member of four honor societies, Le Grande served as a PTK officer at both chapter and regional levels. Off campus, she participated in two East Valley nonprofit agencies. She also received the Lifetime President’s Volunteer Service award for more than 8,000 hours of documented service.
Le Grande plans to pursue bachelor's and master’s degrees in social work at ASU with a minor in Nonprofit Management and Leadership. She hopes to be the director of a nonprofit helping women recovering from trauma and addiction, something she has experienced.
Le Grande said she is amazed and shocked at the recognition.
“Because of this scholarship, I can now purchase a laptop to help with my studies,” Le Grande said. “I can pay for books and additional things that are not covered. I can live stress-free while completing my bachelor’s degree.”
Learn more about Le Grande’s journey in USA Today.
###
Contact: Dawn Zimmer, 480-461-7892, dawn.zimmer@mesacc.edu
About Mesa Community College
Mesa Community College is nationally recognized for its high-quality educational programs, which include university transfer, career and technical, workforce development, and life-long learning. Host to 40,000 students annually, MCC offers more than 200 degrees and certificates at its two campuses and additional locations. Our diverse student body hails predominantly from the East Valley region of metropolitan Phoenix, and international students from 50 countries enrich the learning experience. Award-winning faculty dedicated to student success provide the education and training that empower MCC students to compete locally and globally. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015, MCC is one of 11 colleges that comprise the Maricopa County Community College District. For additional information, visit mesacc.edu.
About Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi, is the largest honor society in American higher education with more than 1,285 chapters on two-year and community college campuses in all 50 of the United States, Canada, Germany, Peru, the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the British Virgin Islands, the United Arab Emirates and U.S. territorial possessions. More than 3 million students have been inducted since its founding in 1918, with approximately 134,000 students inducted annually. For additional information, visit ptk.org.
The Maricopa County Community College District is an EEO/AA institution and an equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.